KUALA LUMPUR: All activities at mosques and suraus, including Friday and congregational prayers, will be suspended for 10 days from March 17 as decreed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah due to the latest Covid-19 situation in the country.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri in a statement said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong issued the decree following a briefing by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Muzakarah Committee special meeting.
“The meeting has decided that all activities at mosques and suraus including Friday and congregational prayers are to be postponed from March 17 to 26, 2020.
“The mosque and surau committees are advised to carry out cleaning and sanitising as a precautionary measure against infection. The 10-day period is subject to the MOH’s advice and views,” he said.
Zulkifli also said that in the event of death due to Covid-19, the handling of Muslim remains should be conducted based on decisions made at the 107th Muzakarah National Fatwa Council’s Committee that was held during the Ebola virus outbreak.
He said certain allowances would be accorded if there was a possibility of harm to the lives of those handling the remains.
“The body can be handled through the tayammum procedure on the surface of the body bag or the plastic that wraps around the body,” he said, adding that both matters are subject to the purview of the religious authority in each state.
Zulkifli said both matters also applied to the Federal Territories. – Bernama
